In a joint announcement, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC), and the Access to Counsel in Evictions (ACE) Task Force revealed significant achievements of the ACE program according to Stout Risius Ross, LLC’s Year 1 Independent Evaluation. Initiated by the Maryland General Assembly in 2021, this program is designed to provide legal representation to income-eligible Marylanders facing eviction, aiming to enhance housing stability and uphold tenant rights.
Program Outcomes:
- Eviction Prevention and Stabilization: The ACE program has effectively assisted 87% of tenants who wished to remain in their residences, with 88% successfully doing so. Over the past year, the program has resolved 9,196 cases, positively affecting 21,000 residents, including 9,100 children.
- Economic Impact: Maryland has seen a return of approximately $3.04 for every dollar spent on the ACE program, resulting in a fiscal impact of $46.7 million.
- Equity and Justice: The program has made significant strides in balancing the scales in eviction proceedings, reducing potential displacement for 84% of the tenants it served. It also promotes equity, serving a client base where 86% identify as non-white and 72% as female.
- Averting Homelessness: The ACE program has been crucial in maintaining housing for 36% of tenants who reported having no alternative housing options if evicted.
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown lauded the program, stating, “The ACE program is an unprecedented effort to mitigate the inherent inequities in eviction cases, successfully keeping thousands of Marylanders in their homes.”
MLSC Executive Director Michelle Daugherty Siri and Task Force Chair Reena Shah also underscored the collaborative efforts and the program’s vital role in advancing justice and equity.
As the ACE program advances towards full statewide implementation by October 2025, continued support and funding are encouraged to maintain and expand this vital initiative.
For additional information on the ACE program or to access services, please visit www.legalhelpmd.org.
For more details on this announcement, visit Maryland Attorney General’s Office.
